Reader Chris writes:
Q: What should a child who was only born at home do, to not screw up and end up "AT SEA"? Precisely? Live outside the system for life? How precisely do you file anything right to not end up in a TRUST if you were born at home outside the hospital? Like a lot of folks did in the country in the early 1900s?
A: EarthGrid – great question. This is one that not only has merit but also is one that takes some thinking on how to phrase a reply. In an attempt to give this just question it’s due, we submit to you the following:
First of all, why would you want to keep the child out of the system and lose those potential benefits? Remember, it isn’t the system necessarily that is broken, it is the people administering it that have withheld information and benefits. Yes, it is a choice, one where there is no wrong answer.
Let us be clear that in the early 1900’s there was no IRS, no taxes and the judicial system was one where we were creditors when entering the court and not a debtor as is the case today. To compare the two is to compare opposites because that is what occurred with the emergence out of the 1929 BK in 1933 and over the next 10 years a combination of Executive Orders and Court decisions completely turned everything in the system upside down and inside out. One could easily have a child at home and simply register them in the family bible and all was good.
To address your question of choosing to have a home birth sans licensed midwife (much like the Amish*, some Mormons* and many commune type groups) then that child is truly outside of the system. As your concern lay in the interaction of that child later in life with today’s system the parents must make this decision with much forethought – which is our take for the question in general.
The question appears to boil down to, “can a child not registered in today’s system (COLB/BC) interact and be a ‘normal’ part of said system?” The answer is yes – and no.
Yes, you can interact with the system. Meaning, yes you can work, yes you can get a bank account. No, you are not normal and will be the subject of much questioning on occasion.
It is not necessary to have a SSN to open a bank account much to the distressed minds of many tellers and bank managers. Most are informed and aware of the laws surrounding such requests. Those that are not certainly will ask their legal department what they should do. What is being suggested is NOT a personal bank account, but a bank account operated by the individual through an unregistered entity called an Unincorporated Association (UA). The Inns of Court (Bar Association) in the UK are structured this way. This is in contravention to those who would profess you simply open a Foundation or 501c3. These types of entities derive their existence from the granting to exist by the corporation. They receive ID numbers from the IRS. These entities, while perhaps a good IRS shield, are very much inside and a part of the system and under the rules and laws of the system – similar to all adhesion contracts… these are a problem. The Unincorporated Association is considered part of the ‘inalienable rights’ area, ecclesiastically derived as a right from God rather than the corporation – thus no requirement to register with the IRS or corporation. To open a bank account using this type of entity, it is required to provide an ID number to the bank in lieu of a SSN. You are also required to provide a few pages of the Articles of Association. The UA is recognized in the UK, US, Canada and Australia – but not NZ.
Work/labour for the child is a different issue. As we all know any employer will request you give them a SSN (US) for withholding purposes. There are two ways of dealing with this, either you don’t work for someone, or you give them a way to make it work for the employer. Some employers are willing to hire you as a consultant. If so, then they simply hire the UA. Others will demand a SSN.
So, yes there are ‘work arounds’ which allow those in the system to comply with their requirements in the system. Just a matter of education and studying a bit of trust law.
C & G
*these groups are suspected to have the proper process and financial connections to directly receive the benefits of registering a child with the state. It is unknown if this is done with or without the consent of the parents.